Indicator: Abuse/Neglect Awareness and Reporting Policy

Abuse/Neglect

As Healthcare providers it is our responsibility to protect our residents and report any possible abuse or neglect. Other caregivers, family members and visitors can all be sources of abuse or neglect.

Abuse is the willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain or mental anguish. Some examples of abuse are slapping a resident, being too rough during physical care, cursing at a resident or yelling in anger.

Neglect is the failure to provide goods and services necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish or mental illness. Some examples of neglect would be not giving a bath or shower to a resident, not providing them oral care, not assisting a resident to a toilet or not changing an incontinent resident in a timely manner. Sometimes abuse or neglect is very obvious and other times it is difficult to tell if that is what is happening. It is your job to report your concerns so that a formal investigation can be done to determine if abuse or neglect occurred. Things you would want to report to a charge nurse or supervisor:

Bruises on a resident

Skin tears or other open areas

Resident’s new complaint of pain with care

When there is no known history of pain

Resident acting fearful of caregivers/visitors or

Expressing concern that they will be hurt by someone or that someone is mean or rough

Overhearing a staff member, visitor, etc. yelling or cursing at a resident.

Finding a resident with dried urine or feces or

Other signs they have not been properly cared for When you report an issue you will be asked to write a statement concerning what you heard or saw. This has to be done for the investigation. Usually the Director of Nursing or the Assistant Director of Nursing conducts the investigation. They will review your written statement and may ask you some other questions. You will not be told the outcome of the investigation since it is confidential. If you report any issues, please do not talk about it to your co-workers. All reports are to be kept confidential. This protects the resident and the employee and ensures an accurate investigation can be completed.

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